Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Chiropractic Care In Clive IA

What are the symptoms of carpal tunnel?

At Clive IA chiropractic clinic we have noticed that as many patients continue to work more in an office setting, the increase in carpal tunnel symptoms has increased. Usually, the hallmark signs of carpal tunnel syndrome are numbness and tingling in the hands specifically the first four digits but usually not the little finger. The patient also experiences muscle weakness in the hand and wrist, making it difficult to carry or hold onto objects.

What are the causes of carpal tunnel?

There are many different causes of carpal tunnel but the most common we see is a change in the overall structure of the tunnel. The change in structure moves carpal bones into a position where they either irritate or compress the nerves as they pass through the carpal tunnel. Compromise of tunnel use is what leads to the symptoms previously mentioned, especially the numbness and tingling in the hands.

What are the traditional treatments for carpal tunnel?

Traditional treatments range from home remedies to surgery. Most home remedies focus on wearing wrist splints, especially at night to help relieve symptoms. Physical therapy can also be utilized to increase the overall strength of the hand. This treatment may include some ultrasound and range of motion exercises. NSAIDs are also used to help reduce any inflammation, especially through the carpal tunnel. The last traditional approach for carpal tunnel relief is surgery. This should be the last option because it is not only the most invasive but results usually vary.

What treatments do you offer patients struggling with carpal tunnel?

With respect to the correction of carpal tunnel symptoms the patient first needs to restore normal integrity to the carpal tunnel. Secondly, the patient needs to strengthen the wrist hand, and forearm to make sure that the symptoms don't relapse immediately after aftercare. With our patients, we adjust the wrist and hand while strengthening the wrist, hand, and forearm. We also utilize Kinesio tape to help provide a bridge between short-term symptom relief and long-term stability. Chiropractic care is a great conservative treatment to help relieve carpal tunnel symptoms.

What advice would you give someone suffering from carpal tunnel?

First, I would recommend consulting your chiropractor to see if it is a problem that is easily resolved. Second, the patient needs to implement forearm strengthening exercises as well as monitor the ergonomics of their working environment.